Left bike and sweat shirt at scene of burglary

A SPALDING man who was said to have 'real issues' with alcohol, left his bicycle and a sweat shirt behind at the scene of a burglary, a court has heard.

Matthew Preece, 44, of Middle Marsh Road, Moulton Marsh, admitted burglary and theft at a house at Algakirk, Boston on May 21 and possession of cannabis, when he appeared at Boston Magistrates' Court.

Prosecuting, Dan Pietryka said Preece had entered the property, which was a house with a business next door, through an open door and had taken what had been estimated at the time as between £2,000 and £3,000 in cash and some keys from a bedside table drawer.

He said Preece left his bicycle at the scene and police recognised it because they had seen Preece earlier with it when he was apparently sunbathing in the centre of a roundabout and had been moved on.

He said they found him at his parents' address in Moulton Marsh, still with £1,300 in cash and the keys from the house.

Mr Pietryka said Preece told the officers he didn't really remember how he had come to have the cash.

In mitigation, Beris Brickles said Preece had no previous burglary convictions but had mental health issues and alcohol problems.

He said Preece had lived on the streets a lot of the time but had now moved back in with his parents and emphasised to the magistrates that there had been no forced entry and no ransacking or soiling.

The magistrates gave Preece a community order and ordered him to undergo 20 days of rehabilitation and six months of alcohol treatment.